A week ago, my supervisor from my host office, Olivia Lee, had set up a meeting with me. At first, I thought she wanted to check in on my progress with the tracker that I was currently working on. However, when I went to the meeting, she asked me about my Capitol Summit trip that was coming up.
For those who do not know, my cohort and I are going to Sacramento this week. The point of this trip is to meet and network with staff, as well as elected officials. This is integral to the CLA program as we learn more about the legislative process and explore opportunities in government. During our meeting, my supervisor asked me what the differences are between informal and formal professional spaces.
I told her that the differences between these two spaces depended on dress codes, the way people spoke, and others. She then responded back saying that I was correct and added more: "When you are in a professional setting or space, make sure that you are leading with kindness, which will lead you to be presented in the best way possible.”
Essentially, wherever I go, I should be respectful and kind to everyone because I never know who the person I meet will end up being. For example, when I am at the Capitol, I should thank everyone including the staffers. The staffers may or may not play as important of a role as other people in the Building, but they are at the Capitol for a reason. They may even end up being an elected official in the future! I never know where everybody will go in the future, including myself.
On the other hand, some other valuable advice that my supervisor told me besides being kind is the way I present myself. In other words, the way I dress, the way I speak, and the way I act is important in showing who I am as a person. If I am dressed in shabby clothes and talk in an inappropriate tone or manner, that would not leave a good impression. Instead, I should wear clothes that are professional and speak in a calm yet mature tone. I should also have a good and firm handshake. These small things are valuable in leaving a great impression and networking skills to those who I meet.
In fact, this conversation with my supervisor made me think of a networking workshop that CLA hosted a few weeks ago. In this workshop, I learned about how networking can benefit me. Some of the benefits are that it helps me become more confident in myself, opens up new opportunities, and being authentic. I also learned the steps of networking: 1). Prepping a mini speech about myself, 2). Questions to ask, and 3). Closing Out.
My mini speech touches on what college I go to, major/minor, what I am passionate about, what I am hoping to do in the future, and connecting it somehow to the person I am talking to. The questions that I ask the person I am talking to may depend, but it should ultimately touch on their career path and ask some advice. Lastly, closing out has to do with exiting the conversation and getting their business card.
Ultimately, all of this is important in my trip to the Capitol. It will help me become more confident in talking to new people and networking, as well as expanding my connections. I am looking forward to this trip and to bringing back valuable experiences that I will share with my host office, as well as those around me.